Fisher Aero Celebrity accident near White Plains, Alabama, December 8, 2007
On December 8, 2007 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Fisher Aero Celebrity, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N43682, was substantially damaged in an accident near White Plains, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A propeller failure during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2007 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- White Plains, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fisher Aero Celebrity, amateur-built
- Registration
- N43682 · no longer on the register · serial AV-1020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the pilot of an amateur built airplane noticed that the airplane began to vibrate. He applied carburetor heat, and then checked the magnetos to see if they were functioning properly, but the vibration persisted. Moments later, the vibration became worse, and the wooden propeller came apart. The pilot shut down the engine and made a forced landing in a field. After touchdown, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane received substantial damage. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane, and had flown it for approximately 55 minutes prior to the accident. According to the pilot, the airplane's original logbooks had been misplaced, and new ones were begun prior to the sale. The airplane's total time in service was estimated to be 190 hours. No entries regarding propeller inspections or propeller maintenance were noted in the new logbooks.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,423 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 7,824 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 190 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3AL5 Jacksonville AL at 8:22 pm
- Destination: 3AL5
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from ANB, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.